Chapter 1The Good Girl's Rebellion

I was with Dominic Stone, the underworld kingpin, for ten years.

But on the day he finally went legit, his men called someone else "Sister-in-law."

Those hands, once stained with blood and gunpowder, now tied the laces of another girl's Converse.

"Chloe, she's different from you."

"You can follow me into hell without a title. She can't."

That day, I didn't look back.

Dominic didn't know that my family knew all about my rebellion.

They had been keeping a good man for me, just waiting for me to give him a title.

* * *

The day Dominic decided to wash his hands clean of the business, he dragged me into bed for a marathon session that felt like the end of the world.

I looked at my lingerie, torn into shreds on the floor.

For a moment, I was speechless.

"Dom, is the apocalypse coming?"

His insatiable hunger made me think there was no tomorrow.

Dominic was smoking a post-coital cigarette.

His thin eyelids drooped, his expression hazy.

"Chloe, if I cut ties with you."

"You won't make a scene, right?"

He held the cigarette in his teeth, his tone sounding like a joke, but a chill ran down my spine.

After ten years with Dominic, I knew his temper.

He liked obedience, but he was stubborn and rebellious to the core.

Just like now. I took the half-smoked cigarette from his hand.

Suppressing the turmoil inside, I raised an eyebrow lazily.

"Dom, do you still think I'm eighteen?"

If I were still the eighteen-year-old girl in Converse sneakers...

If Dominic tried to dump me, I would storm his headquarters, not caring about my life.

But now I'm twenty-eight...

I choked on the words, leaving the rest unsaid.

Dominic ruffled my hair and stubbed out the cigarette that was burning his fingers.

"Chloe, let's end it here."

"Stop smoking. Don't treat your body like trash every day."

"We're not kids anymore. We can't keep messing around."

In that instant, I froze.

A breakup at twenty-eight.

The first one to cry loses everything.

My makeup was ruined, pathetic.

I feigned nonchalance, grabbing my jacket from the floor to leave.

Dominic's long arm hooked me back into his embrace.

Outside, dark clouds rolled like spilled ink.

The rain was about to fall.

Dominic's kisses landed on my bare back as he deftly adjusted my dress straps.

He bit my earlobe like he used to.

Whispering softly, "Did you hear me?"

I didn't answer, and he didn't get angry.

His tone carried the absolute control of a predator over its prey.

"It's going to rain. Stay a bit longer, hmm?"

Ten years can grind all conflicts into a superficial calm.

Dominic probably forgot that my temper...

Wasn't just an act.

If we break, we break clean.

I straightened my back and pushed away his sculpted face.

I smiled gently.

"How long can this rain last?"

If there's someone else in his heart, how long can he keep me?

For a second, Dominic's brow twitched.

But he recovered quickly.

His introduction of the girl was simple.

"Chloe, you're smart."

"Her name is Bella. She's different from you. You can follow me into hell without a title."

"She can't. She's too pure."

I choked.

Looking down at the mess on the floor, I suddenly didn't know what to say.

What does it mean that I can follow him into hell without a title?

Black stockings, high heels, slip dresses.

Dominic dressed me according to his desires for so many years.

Now that I'm used to being his femme fatale, he thinks I'm too vulgar?

I wanted to question him in that moment.

But he put a finger to my lips, signaling silence.

It was the girl named Bella calling.

"Dominic, you said you'd pick me up..."

"I'm alone, and I'm scared..."